1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital mixer and more particularly to a digital mixer that has a function to log a user into the mixer by mounting a detachable storage medium, in which a corresponding user key is stored, on the mixer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional digital mixer adjusts the level and frequency of audio signals output from a plurality of microphones or electronic instruments, then mixes and groups the audio signals into several groups, and transmits the grouped audio signals to a power amplifier or a variety of recording devices or to an effecter or a player that is being played. An operator of the digital mixer operates a variety of panel operation members on a mixing console while monitoring the output audio signals of the digital mixer. In this manner, the operator adjusts the volume or tone of audio signals such as musical instrument sounds or vocal sounds to bring the digital mixer into a state optimally representing the playing. The digital mixer includes input channels, mixing buses, and output channels. The input channels are a plurality of input signal paths. Signals output from the input channels are mixed on the mixing buses. The output channels are a plurality of output signal paths. The input channels output their input signals to the mixing buses after controlling the frequency balance or the output level of the input signals. Each of the mixing buses mixes and outputs input signals to a corresponding output channel. Each of the output channels outputs the mixed signal input from the mixed bus after controlling the frequency balance or the level of the mixed signal.
A known digital mixer has a login function. One example is described in Non-Patent Reference 1. This mixer provides a variety of functions to a user who has logged into the mixer by inputting a user ID and-password. Some digital mixers can restrict functions that can be used by each user. Some digital mixers having the login function provide a function to lock their manipulation unless the user ID and password is input.
[Non-Patent Reference 1] “DME Designer”, Version 1.2, Owner's Manual, 427 pages (Documentation software for DME64N/24N Mixing Engine, Yamaha, 2004).
Some computer systems permit login of a user only when the user logs in by mounting a detachable storage medium such as a USB memory, in which authentication information (a user key) of the user is stored, on the computer system.
However, in the above method by which the user logs into the computer system by mounting a USB memory storing the user key on the computer system, the user must perform a manipulation to input the user ID and password after mounting the USB memory on the computer system and thus the login manipulation is inconvenient.
Further, in some computer systems, the user logs into the system to for use thereof. A guest is defined as a default user. Even the guest must perform a login operation to make use of the system. Some computer system is provided with an automatic login function for automatically designating a user to log in the system.
The digital mixer is a kind of a computer system and may be considered as a device that can be used by someone at any time when the mixer is powered on. However, the conventional login function of the mixer requires a troublesome login manipulation after the mixer is powered on. Using the automatic login function of a computer system makes it possible to automatically log in with a certain user after the power is turned on. However, in this case, there is still a need to perform a troublesome login manipulation after the certain user has logged out.
If the method by which a user logs into a computer system by mounting a detachable USB memory storing a user key is stored, on the computer system is applied to the digital mixer, it is possible to manage the security of the mixer so that a determined user alone is allowed to use a determined mixer. However, a single user may desire to log into and use a mixer of a first studio and another mixer of a second studio. In this case, the user must carry both a USB memory for logging into the mixer of the first studio and another USB memory for logging into the other mixer of the second studio. If a single USB memory is used to deal with such a desire since it is not convenient to carry and manage two USB memories, a user of the mixer of the first mixer could log into the mixer of the second studio with the USB memory. However, when a USB memory storing user keys created with different mixers is mounted on a mixer, the user of the mixer may desire to prevent login with other user key. On the other hand, a user may desire to allow a plurality of mixers associated with the user to be used with the same user key (including a staff user key).
As mentioned before, some known digital mixers with the mixing function have a login function. The login function allows a user to log into the digital mixer by authenticating the user based on a user name and password input by the user. When the user authentication is not performed based on the input user name and password, the digital mixer having the login function can lock its manipulations to prevent the user from manipulating the digital mixer. The digital mixer having the login function can also limit usable functions for each logged-in user.
When a user logs into a digital mixer having such a login function, the user can use the digital mixer within the authority set for the user. In the conventional digital mixer, data of the setting state immediately before login is transferred to a current memory. Therefore, when a user logs into the digital mixer, the digital mixer is brought into the same mixing setting state as that immediately before the login. Even if the user is familiar with manipulating the digital mixer, the user needs to check its current setting state after login. Then, the user must change the current setting state to a desired setting state. Thus, the conventional digital mixer has a problem in that the user cannot quickly manipulate it. In addition, users who are unfamiliar with manipulating the digital mixer may not understand the setting state transferred to the current memory. In this case, the digital mixer has a problem in that the users who are unfamiliar with manipulating the digital mixer may not be able to obtain a desired setting of the digital mixer.